As a reminder we are continuing to look at the book of Acts, specifically the speech Peter gives in chapter two. Jesus had ascended to heaven but had promised the Spirit would help with the multicultural mission of spreading the good news about God's plans for the world to all people. During the Festival of Pentecost, the Spirit enters the 120 or so followers of Jesus gathered together and they begin speaking in all the languages represented by the thousands of pilgrims who were coming into Jerusalem for the Festival. This got a lot of attention and so Peter, along with the eleven other disciples stands up to explain everything.

Last week we talked about how Peter referred to the Hebrew prophet Joel, suggesting that the prophecy had come true. He then goes on to tell the people about Jesus. He says that God had done miracles, signs and wonders among them through Jesus and that even though they knew Jesus was from God, they killed him. And in Acts 2:24 Peter says, “But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.” Peter then refers to Psalm 16 which is attributed to King Davd. Like with his reference to Joel, Peter uses Hebrew prophecy to point to Jesus. In fact, Peter starts his quotation of the Psalm by saying, “David said about him,” suggesting that David himself knew, as Joel knew, that a messiah would come that could not only withstand the corruption of death but experience renewal beyond death.  As one commenter puts it, “Jesus’ resurrection without corruption fulfills the psalm’s highest aspiration.”

Tomorrow we’ll look at the next section of the speech, verses 29-36, but I thought we could end today with Psalm 16 in its entirety. In the Psalm, David suggests that by being faithful to God alone and recognizing that God is only good, death is overcome with life. Peter says that David is speaking about Jesus. By faith in Jesus, and by the indwelling of the Spirit, we too can sing this song. It is a song that represents the good news of Jesus.

Psalm 16 from the New International Version:

A miktam of David.

1 Keep me safe, my God,

for in you I take refuge.

2 I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord;

apart from you I have no good thing.”

3 I say of the holy people who are in the land,

“They are the noble ones in whom is all my delight.”

4 Those who run after other gods will suffer more and more.

I will not pour out libations of blood to such gods 

or take up their names on my lips.

5 LORD, you alone are my portion and my cup;

you make my lot secure.

6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;

surely I have a delightful inheritance.

7 I will praise the LORD, who counsels me;

even at night my heart instructs me.

8 I keep my eyes always on the LORD.

With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

9 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;

my body also will rest secure,

10 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,

nor will you let your faithful one see decay.

11 You make known to me the path of life;

you will fill me with joy in your presence,

with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

A Blue Ridge sunset